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Paper Rings
chapter fifty nine
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DUNDER MIFFLIN IS A DISASTER. She should have known. She should have known that everyone would find out. She had known on that stupid booze cruise. She had known it would happen, and now there's no way to deny it. Not when everyone knows.
She was hiding in the supply closet, the light of her phone illuminating her face. She sat on a milk carton, thumb nail bitten between her teeth. She had texted Dwight, of all people, after the news had spread. He was on a stake out, and his replies were slow, but he seemed to be there for her. Like a great friend, of course. She expected nothing less from the bespectacled man.
"Knock, knock," came a soft voice. She immediately stood, reaching for the door handle. Through the tiny crack, she could see Jim. His face said everything words couldn't. The door swung open further to allow him to slip inside. "You okay?" he asked, arms snaking around her back and pulling her into him. She sighed, nuzzling her face into his chest. "Yeah," she replied. "Just dreading the fact that we're gonna have to fill out that paperwork now."
A hand smoothed over her hair as a soft rumble filled his chest. "Stop laughing at me, butthead," she muttered, now looping her arms around his waist. He couldn't stop. Not when he felt so much relief that the only thing that worried her was the paperwork. It wasn't the fact people knew. It wasn't shame, or embarrassment. It was just paperwork, such a trivial thing but a huge step.
"We can do it together," he replied, pressing a gentle kiss to her head. She hummed, pleased with his response. She wouldn't want to do it with anyone else. Light began to spill in as the door opened, a third body stuffing themself into the confined space. Confusion puckered her brows. "Hey, guys," Michael greeted the two. The darkness completely shielded him from their harsh stares. "I just wanted to say I am so sorry. They tortured it out of me. Toby -- that monster --"
Evelyn scoffed. "It's fine, Michael," she interrupted him, her cheek still pressed to Jim's chest. His heart seemed to calm her down immensely. He fell silent, surprised by her response. "Oh.. Okay, uh, great." She could feel Jim's fingers tracing shapes into her back. He was clearly uncomfortable with Michael being there, but he wasn't opposed to holding her there, in front of someone. Even in the darkness. "Well, uh, at least you don't have to hide it anymore, right? Your not the sun and moon anymore. You're both clouds now!"
Jim tensed. "Okay, Michael," he blurted out. His arms slowly slipped from her form. "You can go now. Thank you." Once again, light flooded the space and Michael was blatantly shoved from the space. Evelyn turned to Jim, arms crossing over her chest. He couldn't see her face, but he knew that she was staring at him now. "What did he mean by the sun and moon?" she asked, curiosity burning inside her like a wildfire.
He exhales a heavy, nervous laugh. "Uh, nothing," he replied, shaking his head. "I don't-- I don't know what he meant by that. I never know what Michael is talking about."
Her fingers tickled his palm. Hands slipped together like pieces of a puzzle. He feared that she could feel his racing heartbeat in his fingertips. "I may have said something along the lines that... I felt like the moon and you were the sun," he told her with a slight sigh. She bit down on her bottom lip, a hint of a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. "And hiding us felt like... it felt like we were stuck in this cycle of never really being together. We're just stuck admiring each other from... afar. It's stupid."
"No," she swiftly argued. Her fingers squeezed his in reassurance. "No, it isn't stupid. Why didn't you tell me this before?" His head dropped, eyes searching the darkness for their conjoined hands. His tongue felt dry. "You weren't ready and I didn't want to pressure you," he answered honestly. Her opposite hand reached between them, palm pressing to his chest. She followed to incline of his chest to his neck, her fingertips tickling the sensitive skin there. "I appreciate you being cautious of my feelings," she told him, thumb running along his cheek, "but if this relationship is going to work, we need to be forthcoming with out feelings."
He nodded, swallowing. "Your feelings matter just as much as mine do, okay?"
"Okay," he echoed. She took a careful step forward. He shivered at the scent of her perfume evading his senses. They stood there a moment before she pushed up onto her toes. Her lips missed his by a fraction of a centimeter, eliciting a chuckle from the man in front of her. His free hand moved to redirect her head, their lips meeting in the middle.
The door opened to reveal Michael Scott once more. He snorted at the sight, flush on his skin. "Sorry!" he exclaimed, easing the door back into place. Evelyn and Jim had since pulled away, rolling their eyes at their boss. "I think no kissing at work is a smart rule," she whispered. Jim grinned to himself. "Smart, but impossible."
Both hands now cupped her face. She almost laughed at his statement, but the weight of his lips had her brain submerged in a fog of Jim.
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EVELYN
So, I guess the cat is out of the bag...
[ SHE AND JIM LOOK UNCOMFORTABLE BEFORE THE CAMERA. THE TWO SIT THERE, SILENTLY, STARING BACK AT THE CAMERA CREW. ]
JIM
Surprise.
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Toby didn't look too thrilled to start the paperwork, either. He smiled at Evelyn as he passed her the small bundle of pages, but after that, his face had returned to its natural depressive state. They sat in chairs at her desk, knees bumping every once in a while. But Jim had the right idea. Doing it with him was better than on her own.
"Thank you," Toby said, his voice soft as they handed in their packets. Jim's hands slipped into his pockets instinctively. "I'm sorry about Michael." His eyes stayed mostly on Evelyn. He did feel awful for her. The fact that her relationship had been broadcasted by an uninvited third party instead of by her or her significant other. It being Michael was just another blow in and of itself. She shrugged halfheartedly. "It's okay," she responded.
Jim nodded in agreement. Now that the relationship was public, he felt more at ease. The weight of the secret was now gone and he couldn't wait to be more himself with her. Even more of himself, really. "Good luck, then. With your relationship." Evelyn snorted at Toby. She thanked him with a smile before taking Jim by his shoulders. "Time to get back to work," she informed him, pushing him gently toward the annex door.
It had been locked the moment the two entered, to give them privacy. Ever since Kelly had approached Evelyn in shock and hurt, she knew that they'd have no other chance at privacy with Jim. And this moment, right then, needed to be private. "I'd rather stay," Jim joked, looking out beyond the door's glass. He didn't want to go out there and listen to everybody ask him about them, or talk about them, or her. God, he didn't want to listen to the way they talk about her.
"Yeah, well, you've got to make a living somehow," she replied with a gentle shove. He scoffed. "I could work at Hooters. I think they like me there." The shove was a bit harder this time. Her eyes rolled playfully at his joke. "I'm sure they do," she hummed. "Now, go back to work. I'll see you tonight, right?"
He glanced over his shoulder and met her eyes. Even now, Jim felt like Evelyn was still the sun. Not because she's unobtainable, but because she shines so bright. Being able to openly admire her, and fawn after her was freeing. He doesn't have to deny it anymore. He can shout it from the rooftops if he wanted to.
She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, her hands leaving his spine. "See you tonight," he sighed, smiling over at the brunette. He could wait a bit longer. He could wait forever for her if he had to.
rumi says . . .
they're finally public y'all !
oh my gosh i cannot believe
we've gotten this far.
now, with this filler chapter out of
the way, we have exactly eight
episodes left to write. can you
guys believe it ? i sure can't. because
wtf ? it feels like just yesterday that i
published it for the first time.
what are your thoughts on the chapter ?
what's your favorite part of the book
so far ?
thank you for reading!
feedback is greatly appreciated!